Acts 11:18
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
When the believers in Judea heard Peter's full account of his vision and God's command to go to Caesarea and of the Holy Spirit falling on Cornelius and his household as on the disciples at the beginning, they were silenced and stopped objecting and glorified God because they were convinced his course fulfilled God's plan. It means that God has granted to the Gentiles also the same repentance leading to life that he had granted to Jewish believers, so that the gospel and the gift of the Spirit are not limited to the Jews. The ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision is ended, so that Gentiles are no longer to be counted unclean but stand on equal terms with Jewish disciples with access to the blessings of salvation without being circumcised. This broke down old prejudice and religious exclusiveness and opened a new phase in which the way was prepared for the gospel to be carried to the Gentiles without further opposition. That repentance unto life is granted by God and not produced by man, as he draws hearts by Christ lifted up and by his Spirit, leading the beholding sinner to sincere repentance and faith unto forgiveness and peace, and it must be daily by full surrender to Christ.
Context and Gentile Inclusion
The response in Judea came after the Jewish believers heard Peter's full account of his vision, God's command to go to Caesarea, and the falling of the Holy Spirit on Cornelius and his household as on the disciples at the beginning. The conversion of the Ethiopian official stood as further background, and with Peter's vision and the Spirit coming upon Cornelius and his household it convinced the apostles and the leading believers in Jerusalem. When the Jewish believers heard that God had given the Holy Spirit to uncircumcised Gentiles, they stopped objecting and praised God, recognizing that the gospel and the gift of the Spirit were not limited to the Jews.
Hearing that God had given the Holy Spirit to uncircumcised Gentiles as well as to Jews, they were silenced, stopped objecting, were convinced that Peter's course directly fulfilled God's plan, and glorified God. Recognizing God's work among the Gentiles silenced objections and led the brethren to glorify God. Peter's account convinced the disciples that his mission to Gentiles fulfilled God's plan.
God has granted to the Gentiles also repentance leading to life, just as He had granted it to Jewish believers, and the gospel and the gift of the Spirit are not limited to the Jews. When the disciples heard how God had given the Gentiles the Holy Spirit, they recognized that God had granted them repentance leading to life. The gift of the Holy Spirit to Cornelius and his household convinced the disciples and the brethren that God had accepted the Gentiles and that welcoming them fulfilled God's plan. The believers stopped objecting and glorified God when Peter explained that the Holy Spirit had been given to Gentiles as well as Jews.
The ceremonial distinction of circumcision and uncircumcision is ended, Gentiles are no longer to be counted unclean, and Gentile believers who accept the gospel stand on equal terms with Jewish disciples. Gentile converts who accepted the gospel stood on equal terms with Jewish disciples, without circumcision and without being required to be circumcised. Through the gospel Gentile believers have access to the blessings and privileges of salvation and belong to Christ's church on an equal footing with Jewish disciples without observing circumcision, for Jew and Gentile are alike precious to God.
The gospel breaks down and utterly destroys old prejudice and religious exclusiveness toward Gentiles. Old prejudices and religious exclusiveness must give way to the gospel. The gift of the Holy Spirit to Cornelius and his household convinced the brethren that their prejudice and exclusiveness must give way. This marks the breaking down of prejudice and the opening of a new phase in the church in which the way was opened for the gospel to be carried and preached among the Gentiles without further opposition. That recognition prepared the way for Paul's mission.
Repentance Granted Unto Life
Repentance unto life is granted by God and is not produced by man, and well-doing is possible only through grace imparted by God. God grants it by drawing all hearts through manifesting His love in Christ lifted up, by sending message after message entreating men to repentance, and by wooing them through His Spirit. The first step toward salvation is to respond to that drawing. Christ came to give repentance and remission of sins, revealing the justice and love of God.
When the sinner beholds Jesus on the cross bearing the guilt and penalty of sin, beholds God's abhorrence of evil and His love for fallen man, he is led to sincere repentance toward God for transgression of the law which is holy and just and good, and to faith in Christ as Redeemer, Substitute, Surety, and Advocate. God pardons only the penitent, and whom He pardons He first makes penitent so that He may forgive and write pardon against their names. Through that repentance and faith come forgiveness, the sweetest joy, the joy of forgiveness, the peace of God, mercy, truth and love. If the heart yields to grace Christ leads on step by step to a full knowledge of Himself, which is life eternal.
Repentance unto life eternal must be daily and is the only safety. Remaining in repentance means refusing to turn or deviate from clean, pure principles. It means surrendering fully and entirely to Christ and following where He leads instead of advancing in one's own wisdom and strength. Human wisdom is foolishness with God, and success cannot be gained by one's own strength.